It's only what's been signposted for the last five years; "River, you know my name... There's only one reason I would ever tell anyone my name. There's only one time I could."

This is Moffat we're talking about, though; the man who said the Doctor who got shot and killed by the Astronaut was DEFINITELY HIM. Well, it was, but not in the way we thought. He's a master of subterfuge and misdirection - he's said the Doctor's greatest secret WILL be revealed, but he hasn't said to whom. He respects the series and its history (despite what some think) and there's no way he'll undermine the whole show by revealing its fundamental mystery. He's been at pains, with the whole Trenzalore/Silence plot, to point out that it MUSTN'T be revealed! If it is, Silence Will Fall (i.e. there'll be no more show)...

It's only what's been signposted for the last five years; "River, you know my name... There's only one reason I would ever tell anyone my name. There's only one time I could."

This is Moffat we're talking about, though; the man who said the Doctor who got shot and killed by the Astronaut was DEFINITELY HIM. Well, it was, but not in the way we thought. He's a master of subterfuge and misdirection - he's said the Doctor's greatest secret WILL be revealed, but he hasn't said to whom. He respects the series and its history (despite what some think) and there's no way he'll undermine the whole show by revealing its fundamental mystery. He's been at pains, with the whole Trenzalore/Silence plot, to point out that it MUSTN'T be revealed! If it is, Silence Will Fall (i.e. there'll be no more show)...

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He could whisper it to River, who'll look amazed and awed, but the audience won't hear it and nest the Doctor will swear her to tell no one his name. She will say yes, which must be the truth, and we get to keep on wondering 'Doctor Who'. Or some variation there of, so the mystery remains. Whatever, I doubt we'll learn his name.

Not sure what the fuss is to be honest. The Doctor's name is uh... The Doctor? He's gone entirely by that name for 10 of his 11 incarnations, it was only the young First that presumably had a different one before. I think his birthname is utterly irrelevent and uninteresting a mystery.

Are we looking at this too literally? Isn't the out here more of a meta-commentary in that 'Eleven' might actually be 'Twelve' and that would set up the most of who was actually 'nine' who turns out to be the John Hurt character that some people are already hinting/guessing is a missing version of the Doctor?

He could whisper it to River, who'll look amazed and awed, but the audience won't hear it and nest the Doctor will swear her to tell no one his name. She will say yes, which must be the truth, and we get to keep on wondering 'Doctor Who'. Or some variation there of, so the mystery remains. Whatever, I doubt we'll learn his name.

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Which would also fit with her future self whispering it to him when they first meet...

Are we looking at this too literally? Isn't the out here more of a meta-commentary in that 'Eleven' might actually be 'Twelve' and that would set up the most of who was actually 'nine' who turns out to be the John Hurt character that some people are already hinting/guessing is a missing version of the Doctor?

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I'll go with most of what they throw at us regarding Doctor Who because I love the character so much. But I think this revelation might be a bit hard for me to swallow. So the last two Doctors have just been lying about how many past selves he's had?

OK, so rule one is the Doctor lies (one of Moffat's additions to the character that I really dislike), but it would really change what we know about the character and the show. I'm not sure it'd sit well with me.

Are we looking at this too literally? Isn't the out here more of a meta-commentary in that 'Eleven' might actually be 'Twelve' and that would set up the most of who was actually 'nine' who turns out to be the John Hurt character that some people are already hinting/guessing is a missing version of the Doctor?

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I'll go with most of what they throw at us regarding Doctor Who because I love the character so much. But I think this revelation might be a bit hard for me to swallow. So the last two Doctors have just been lying about how many past selves he's had?

OK, so rule one is the Doctor lies (one of Moffat's additions to the character that I really dislike), but it would really change what we know about the character and the show. I'm not sure it'd sit well with me.

You're saying someone* may have deliberately erased all memory of this unknown previous self from the Doctor's brain? Possible, I suppose (Lord knows he's had amnesia enough times), though you'd think regeneration would erase any such mental blocks. Then again, there's always the Silence...

* I say someone because if the Doctor was able to deliberately erase his own memories like that, he'd have burned his original name out of his brain eons ago. (What better way to keep the ultimate secret?) Actually, that'd be a nasty twist to the season finale - the Doctor's asked the Big Question, and he answers truthfully: "Even I don't know." Alas, him telling River negates that possibility...

I think so. I mean, unless his "real name" turns out to be The Master or Davros or something, who really cares?

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Yeah. If he has a generic alien sounding name like Filleaster Altobar or whatever, then there's no point in even saying it. Well, unless Moffat wanted to make the point that having a mystery surrounding the Doctor's name is silly and that the REAL mystery should be such and such.

Or there could be a reason that the Doctor can never speak his own name without facing terrible consequences. That could be interesting- an ancient evil will be released when the name of the Doctor is spoken aloud, or something more Moffaty.

Or maybe there is a mystery surrounding his back-story that he hasn't even solved yet. They did make a point of showing us that the Doctor has been carrying around his own baby crib/cot for 1,000 years and then pointed out to the audience that it has Gallifreyan writing on it. Perhaps baby Doctor was found in a cot with the words "Run you clever boy and remember" written on it so they called him Rycbar and he stole a Tardis and ran... but he still doesn't know what he was supposed to run from or remember. But Clara is the key!

Or they could just pick a name mythological name like God or Death or Lucifer to fuck with the audience.

Or they could name him Oswin Geronimo. I'd buy Moffat a drink if he did that! Just a thanks for the sheer entertainment value it would bring to the internet.

Or maybe there is a mystery surrounding his back-story that he hasn't even solved yet. They did make a point of showing us that the Doctor has been carrying around his own baby crib/cot for 1,000 years and then pointed out to the audience that it has Gallifreyan writing on it. Perhaps baby Doctor was found in a cot with the words "Run you clever boy and remember" written on it so they called him Rycbar and he stole a Tardis and ran... but he still doesn't know what he was supposed to run from or remember. But Clara is the key!

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Dear lord, I hope that's not what Moffat does. That would be worse than The Master suffering from The Sound of Drums all his lives.

I'm sure it'll be something along the lines The Doctor telling someone without the audience being informed (either a whisper or obscured writing0.

Or maybe there is a mystery surrounding his back-story that he hasn't even solved yet. They did make a point of showing us that the Doctor has been carrying around his own baby crib/cot for 1,000 years and then pointed out to the audience that it has Gallifreyan writing on it. Perhaps baby Doctor was found in a cot with the words "Run you clever boy and remember" written on it so they called him Rycbar and he stole a Tardis and ran... but he still doesn't know what he was supposed to run from or remember. But Clara is the key!